Reviewed by Cheryl E. Rodriguez for Readers' Favorite

What do biblical prophecies, bio-engineered human genomes, and the coalition of Muslim leadership have in common? Victor Watts’ Armageddon Dawning: The Rise of Kharon gives an answer to this multi-faceted, foreboding question. Austin Murphy returns to the CIA after being fired two years prior. The Hezbollah threat is growing, and President Stevenson wants it nullified. In Beirut, anxious to prove his legendary skills again, Murphy and his black ops team wait for the go ahead to take out the Hezbollah leader. The mission is a disaster! Within days, a series of vicious terrorist attacks occur across the globe. Suddenly, out of nowhere, all media streams are hacked. The larger than life, ominous image of a man holds the world captive. Kharon boldly takes responsibility for the acts of terrorism and openly threatens the President with more. The US is taken hostage by fear. To counter Kharon’s obvious evil intentions, a savior appears. The wealthy and charismatic Aaban Tasir has been on the CIA’s watch list for some time. Tasir rises quickly to power and political influence, becoming an overnight sensation with his promises of unity and peace. Could these two men somehow be connected? Before it is too late, Austin Murphy and his team must put together the pieces of this bizarre puzzle and show the world what force controls these notoriously evil men.

Oh my, my! Armageddon Dawning by Victor Watts is my kind of book. Rapid fire action mixed with thrills, spills, and plot intrigue galore. The short chapters propel the fast moving thriller; you simply do not want to put the book down. There are variable points of view. This writing technique allows the reader to experience the narrative from multiple angles, by circumnavigating through the plot. The point of view switches from character to character and coordinates with the many location changes. One minute you are in the head of the protagonist, the next you are subdued by the antagonist. The narrative contains a large cast of characters. Watts writes his characters with a directorial eye; he spotlights their individual importance and uniqueness by bringing them to the foreground, or placing them in the background where needed. This skilled method makes the scenes come to life by giving visual depth and scope.

The use of wit, humorous, somewhat cheesy movie quotes and Austin-isms were delightful nuggets in do or die situations. The scientific aspects are written in a manner that is easy to understand, and are incorporated well into the overall plot scheme. Moreover, the portrayal of CIA security measures, weaponry, and tactics was top notch. The biblical prophecies as a subplot give the narrative a twist in perception. As a believer, I love the nuance of scripture and the dilemma of Yiskah’s character in a supporting role. I actually laughed out loud, when reading, “What were Jesus’ disciples thinking?” Armageddon Dawning contains pawns and poets, terror and comedy, martyrs and heroes. With the last page turned, we realize this is not the end of the story. I can’t wait for a sequel.